FRINGILLID.E — THE FINCHES. 125 



hanging the Sacramento Eiver. He describes the eggs of tliis species as 

 differing entirely from any of this genus he had ever met with, and as hav- 

 ing so great a resemblance to the eggs of the three different species of Black- 

 birds inhabiting California that they were liable to be confounded with 

 them unless marked when taken from the nest. 



Dr. Newberry, who found this bird very common in the Sacramento Val- 

 ley, states that when he first met with it, a strange bird to him, its habit of 

 scratching among the dry leaves under the bushes, as well as its long tail 

 and jerking flight from one clump of bushes to another, at once indicated to 

 him its affinities. 



Among the memoranda made by Mr. Xantus at Fort Tejon are the fol- 

 lowing in reference to this species : "474, nest and two eggs, found May 19 

 on a small thorn-bush in a very dark thicket, about six feet from the ground ; 

 1,675, nest and one egg, on a thick thorny bush, six feet from the ground ; 

 1,851, nest and two eggs. May 12, on a rose-bush, four feet from the ground, 

 eggs already incubated." 



The eggs of this species measure one inch by .75, have a light ground of 

 robin-blue, and are spotted and blotched with varying shades of dark and 

 light purple. In some the color of the blotches is so deep as not to be 

 distinguishable from black, except in a strong light. The lighter shades 

 are a faint lavender. 



Pipilo fuscus, var. mesoleucus, Baied. 



CANON BUNTING. 



Pipilo mesoleucus, Baird, Pr. A. N. Sc. Ph. VII, June, 1854, 119 (Rocky Mountains). — 

 Ib. Birds N. Am. 1858, 518 ; pi. xxix. — Kennerly, P. R. R. X, b. pi. xxix. — 

 Heerm. X, c, p. 15. — Cooper, Orn. Cal. I, 247. ? Pipilo fusca, "Swains.," Sclater 

 & Salvin, p. Z. S. 1869, 361 (city of Mexico). 



Sp. Char. Above very dull olivaceous-brown, with a grayish tinge ; hood dull chest- 

 nut, conspicuously different from the back. Sides like the back, but paler; posteriorly, 

 and about the vent and under tail-coverts, pale brownish-red. The ashy olive-brown of 

 the sides scarcely meeting across the breast, the lower portion of which, with the upper 

 belly, is rather pure white. The loral region, chin, throat, and upper part of the breast, 

 pale yellowish-rufous, finely spotted on the sides and more coarsely across the breast with 

 brown ; an obscure spot in the middle of the breast ; edge of outer primary white. Bill 

 pale brown ; legs flesh-color ; first quill about equal to eighth, third and fourth longest. 

 Length, 8.50 inches; wing, 3.80; tail, 4.70. 



Hab. Valley of Upper Rio Grande and across to the . Gila River. East to Santa 

 Caterina. New Leon. 



Tliis race is similar in general appearance to P. crissalis, but the 

 olive-brown and rufous are both of a lighter shade. The crown is of a 

 decided rufous, conspicuously different from the back, instead of nearly the 

 same tint. The light reddish under the head is wider throughout, and 



